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Artist: SWITCH
Album: Visceral
Year: 2009
Another strong proof that the industrial metal virus is spreading faster than the swine flu is Switch - hailing all the way from the Phillipines! This three-piece blends metal and rock with industrial and electro, and says to be influenced by bands such as NIN, Punish Yourself and Ministry - as well by bands like Tool, Nirvana, Duran Duran and Pink Floyd. 'Visceral' is the debut release of this band, bringing you 15 examples of what industrial metal tracks from the Phillipines sound like.
After the instrumental intro named 'Violent Strain' - the release kicks off with 'The New Messiah'. It comes with a marching beat, powerful riffing and raw, sometimes even punkish vocal lines. Overall the track can be described as a more chaotic version of Ministry. 'I Give You' is a raw cyberpunkish track, blending industrial metal with tiny touches of wave and (horror)punk. It comes with recogniseable drumming, powerful riffing and outgoing vocal lines. 'Reconnect' is more old school based - with a bouncing bassline and innovative drumming, as well harsh riffing and vocal lines. One of those songs you automatically start to tap your foot on. 'Scratches And Scarves' clearly feels at home on the old school path as well. This song is mostly wave based and gets explosive when the riffing and the raw screams kick in. Overall a song that strongly reminded me to Nine Inch Nails and bands in common, and gets a bit more chaotic near its ending. 'Aorta' follows. It's a song blending old school wave influences with more modern touches coming from bands such as Tool and A Perfect Circle. The raw punk vocals blend perfectly together with the bassline (that works as a backbone on this track) and the drumming, and the wellplaced keylines give the song an essential melodic element. 'Dusk' is a piano based intermezzo, to be followed by a song blessed with the lovely title 'Fixing The Flesh:Redemption'. It's pretty much a song with two different faces - part one is a hyperactive mix of cyberpunk (like Leech Woman) and industrial metal (like Ministry), surprisingly coming with a certain form of accessibility - while part two is mostly wave based, even with a tiny touch of synthpop, and very relaxing. 'The Way You Want To' surprisingly comes with a modern rock attitude, injected with wave and electro influences. The overall strategy of this track is accessibility, specially with the sing-a-long attitude of the clean vocal lines on the chorus. 'Licking Wounds' is an easy listening mix of wave and synthpop, coming with raw riffing, gentle programming and recogniseable vocal lines fitting the track perfectly well. 'The Hidden War' is an instrumental and industrial metal based intermezzo (bashing drums, straight to the point riffing), and gets followed up by 'For You Only'. It's a more than decent wave track, pretty much built like 'Scratches And Scarves' ; wellplaced keylines, a backbone of basstunes and powerful drumming and diverse vocal lines fitting it all perfectly. 'With Me...' mixes wave and (dark) electro, resulting in an easy going and guitarless track with repetative vocal lines. 'Love Is Only A Word' follows. It can very well be seen as the ballad of the release, with sensitive wave elements synchronizing perfectly well with the vocal lines. The use of keylines is essential, as well the dark electro sampling that's hidden in the background. The release ends with a track named 'Aftermath' - an instrumental outro with sensitive piano works appearing on ambient tunes.
'Visceral' managed to make me tap my foot and nod my head more than once, and even got me haunted sometimes. Tracks such as 'Scratches And Scarves', 'Aorta' and 'For You Only' come with a certain atmosphere you cannot escape from the moment you get sucked in. On the other side, tracks such as 'The New Messiah' and 'Fixing The Flesh:Redemption' are perfectly bashing industrial metal tracks that make you able to escape the atmosphere for a while to bang and bash. 'Visceral' indeed is an album blessed with enough variety and experimentalism.
Fans of the bands that I mentioned more than once in the track by track review (Nine Inch Nails, Ministry) should definitely give this one a shot too - as well if you consider yourself a fan of Volkmar, Leech Woman and even Black Light Discipline and Rammstein - don't hesitate to give this a try. For me - in the end only two questions remain: one - will this band manage to get a little less raw and a little more clean production for their next releases? - and two - how will this band be experienced on a live show in their home country?
Vote: 90 / 100
Review by: Gerardo
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1. Violent Strain
2. The New Messiah
3. I Give You
4. Reconnect
5. Scratches And Scarves
6. Aorta
7. Dusk
8. Fixing The Flesh:Redemption
9. The Way You Want To
10. Licking Wounds
11. The Hidden War
12. For You Only
13. With Me...
14. Love Is Only A Word
15. Aftermath
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